Raising Girly Girls: Embracing New Challenges as a Mom

Before becoming a mom, I never pictured myself raising “girly” girls. Growing up, I was a quintessential tomboy. My days were filled with sports, rough-and-tumble games, and competing with the boys. So, when I thought about having kids, I always imagined having a boy. It felt more in my wheelhouse, something I could relate to without effort. But life has a funny way of surprising us, and I found myself blessed with two daughters who love everything traditionally girly—dresses, dress-up, and fancy hairdos.

I didn’t know the first thing about styling hair beyond the basic ponytail. But my journey into learning how to create cute hairstyles started during our first big trip of the year to visit Erik’s friends in Tampa. His friend’s wife is a pro at styling hair, and she did some beautiful hairstyles on her daughter and on Madi. Of course, as any younger sibling would, Jules wanted whatever Madi got, which meant I needed to up my game and learn how to do these adorable toddler hairstyles myself.

The minute we got back home, I knew I had to take this newfound challenge seriously. Madi’s excitement for trying new braids, buns, and hair accessories was contagious, and she wanted every hairstyle under the sun. So, I stocked up on all the essentials: hair clips, animal-themed hair ties, elastic bands, a hair wax stick, volume spray, a water spray bottle, and specialized brushes and combs. Looking at my new arsenal of tools, I felt a wave of intimidation wash over me. I was in way over my head.

To get started, I took photos of all the hairstyles from our Tampa trip for reference. I then spent time watching YouTube tutorials and scrolling through social media pages dedicated to toddler hairdos. Practice became a daily ritual. While Madi loved the end result, she often got frustrated with how long the process took. This became the perfect teaching moment. I used it as an opportunity to explain that even adults need to practice new things and make mistakes to get better. No one is perfect the first time around.

Learning how to manage the tension of hair ties was another lesson in itself—tight enough to hold the hair but not so tight that it caused headaches. Jules also wanted her share of hair magic, even though her hair is still short. For her, looped pigtails, regular pigtails, or a top ponytail are my go-to styles. She excitedly taps her head, yelling “me,” whenever it’s time to get her hair done. It’s one of the most heartwarming moments of my day.

This seemingly small aspect of raising my daughters has become a significant learning curve and bonding experience. The girls challenge me in the best ways, even if it’s just about learning how to style their hair. These moments are more than just about creating cute hairstyles; they’re teaching moments that I use to show Madi (and eventually Jules) that growth requires patience, effort, and resilience. I want them to know that trying new things, making mistakes, and practicing are all part of getting better at anything they set their minds to.

Raising girly girls has pushed me out of my comfort zone and taught me more than I could have imagined. It’s not just about hairstyles; it’s about embracing challenges, growing alongside them, and teaching them that even moms need to learn new things. And for that, I’m grateful.